phin

liation known as "morning respects." Every day, for the past year, I had made this walk with a knot of dre

thing but a cold

elite females, a flock of preening peacocks in expensive silks and dripping jewels. The ai

ofa, a delicate bone china teacup in her hand. She was the queen of

to offer my greetings. I was about to speak when a

stood just behind the sofa, her arms crossed, her face pinched in a perpetual state of disapproval.

n's sister, made a show of examining my flat stomach with a l

ave mumbled an apology, her eyes fixed on the floor, and spe

ina simply rai

hing faces, lingering for a moment on each one unti

ther. Agnes, who "lost" the sentimental locket my father gave me. Agne

she held her ground, emboldened by her proximity to

cce

on the marble floor, a sharp, staccato beat i

nvoluntary step back, her retreat blocked by th

s taller than she was. I could smell the

't say

d my ri

slappe

AC

e. It echoed in the cavernous sunroom, a shoc

right red handprint bloomed on her cheek. She stumbled, her eyes

sil

eased. Every woman in the room was frozen, their faces a mask of shock. Genevieve's han

ging open, a perfect, st

d cradling her swelling face, tears

d linen handkerchief. I meticulously wiped the back of my hand, the one that had

e floor. My voice was calm, conversational,

ould expect you to understand the basic tenets of rank and respect. Your job is

s hang in the

ect to this entire pack." I paused, my eyes flicking to Genevieve. "I am merely d

used their own rigid, archaic rules against them. They couldn'

es pleading for salvation, for he

placed her cup and saucer down on the table with a sharp click. Her eyes, c

she saw

She saw the cold, hard glint that said, Go

e recognized, in that moment, that a public confrontation with me, over a mere

split-secon

g woman on the floor. Her voice, when

out. You are

cly was a death sentence to her career and reputation. She opened her mouth to p

ching her face, and fled the ro

-soiled handkerchief in

d to face th

een trying to teach me for a year. I executed a flaw

er," I said, my voi